Controls, settings and performance: keys, DirectX 11 or 12, FOV and controller

Quick answer

Default keys on Build 1.0.1: E to interact and pick up a rod, hold left mouse to cast, G for the Journal, Q to drop (hold Q with TNT to light it), Enter for chat and hold Space to skip the intro. Steam offers a DirectX 11 launch option (the default) and DirectX 12 for faster PCs. FOV goes up to 130, controllers are partly supported including DualSense, and the game is Windows only.

How this guide was checked

Coverage: Released October 20, 2026 (left Early Access) · Windows on Steam · same-day Hotfix · October 21 Yeti fix post · October 22 BUFFS patch (no build numbers given) · Kingy played Build 1.0.1 (Steam build 26083362) on Windows 11 from the main menu to day 1 in the cabin and read the whole Journal, October 20, 2026 · official news feed checked October 22, 2026 UTC. Research checked 22 Oct 2026. Updated 22 Oct 2026

This guide uses the linked sources and any attributed demonstrations. Platform differences and limitations are noted with the advice they affect.

See the 31 sources
31 sources

Before you start

  • Keys marked as seen were checked by Kingy on Build 1.0.1 (Steam build 26083362), Windows 11, keyboard and mouse, October 20, 2026. Other keys and settings come from GONE Studios' posts and Steam's data, checked October 21, 2026; we haven't opened the key-binding or Video menus yet.
1

Default keys

Keys can be rebound; GONE Studios added remappable bindings in May 2025. The Unstuck button no longer drops your bait since September 2026.

KeyWhat it doesEvidence
EInteract; pick up a rodSeen on 1.0.1
Hold left mouseCast while looking at waterSeen on 1.0.1 (in-game guide)
Left mouse during a fightReel in1.0.1 Journal
GJournalSeen on 1.0.1
QDrop the held item; drop fish in the Trader's basket to sellSeen on 1.0.1
Hold Q with TNTLight the TNT as you drop itSeptember 2026 post
EnterChatSeen on 1.0.1
Hold SpaceSkip the intro plane (host, after about 10 seconds; X on a PS5 controller)Seen on 1.0.1; October 2026 post
FPlace a fish on the stove, grill or butcher tableJuly 2026 post
VVoice chatJune 2026 post
TSelfie cameraAugust 2025 post
Ctrl+LEmote (choose it in the lobby)December 2025 post
Hold E on a playerPush them; strongest after 20 secondsJuly 2026 post
Secondary interact at the TraderSell the held item for a third of its priceSeptember 2026 post
Left mouse in the green zoneBreak free when a creature grabs youJuly 2026 post
Hold left mouse holding a fishThrow the fishMay 2025 post
EscMenu with the boat reset; after 22:30 the host gets Force next day2026 posts
Sources for this section
2

DirectX 11 or DirectX 12?

Steam's app data lists two launch options: Play GONE Fishing with DirectX 11, the default, and Play GONE Fishing with DirectX 12 (For faster Computers). GONE Studios made DirectX 11 the default in August 2025 because DirectX 12 is more expensive to run.

The store's minimum spec lists DirectX 11 and the recommended spec DirectX 12. Our suggestion: near the minimum spec, stay on DirectX 11; on a recommended-spec PC, try DirectX 12 and keep whichever runs smoother.

Sources for this section
3

FOV, upscaling and frame rate

Field of view goes up to 130; GONE Studios raised the cap from 110 in September 2026. The Video options include DLSS, FSR and XeSS upscaling, updated to FSR 3.1 in May 2026, and there are FPS limit, brightness, gamma, bloom and motion blur settings.

A June 2026 GPU pass cut GPU use by an estimated 15–20% and was tuned for 1080p with a 120 fps limit on the Medium preset, which makes that a sensible starting point.

Sources for this section
4

Comfort and accessibility settings

The store also lists camera comfort, color alternatives, contrast controls, adjustable difficulty, play without timed input, and stereo and surround sound.

SettingWhereWhat it does
Motion sicknessEsc menuA comfort option added in January 2026
ArachnophobiaEsc menuShows the large jungle spider as a tortoise
Disable TipsGameplay optionsTurns off the pop-up tips
Catch reportGameplay optionsShows which multipliers boosted a fish's value
TNT damageEsc menuOn by default; GONE Studios suggests turning it off in public lobbies
VolumeOptionsSeparate music, weather and voice sliders, plus voice volume per player
Sources for this section
5

Controller support

Steam lists Partial Controller Support and DualSense Controller Support. GONE Studios called controller support finished in February 2026: you can pick on-screen button glyphs for your controller and set look sensitivity in the options. On a PS5 controller, hold X to skip the intro.

Sources for this section
6

PC requirements and platforms

Steam lists Windows only, with no Mac or Linux build. Saves sync to Steam Cloud since July 2026, which GONE Studios said was to support streaming services such as GeForce NOW; check the service itself before buying for it.

Price and launch offer

PartMinimumRecommended
OSWindows 10 64-bitWindows 10 64-bit
ProcessorCore i5-8400 / Ryzen 5 2600Core i7-12400 / Ryzen 5 5600X
Memory6 GB12 GB
GraphicsGTX 1070 / RX 5700RTX 3060 / RX 6700 XT
DirectX1112
Storage6 GB6 GB
Sources for this section
7

Can't join a friend? Check the build

The 1.0.1 main menu shows the build (ours read Build 1.0.1) and a tip that a version mismatch is the usual reason a lobby won't let you in: have everyone restart Steam so it updates. As of October 22, 2026, Steam's public build is 26140539, updated that day; we tested the earlier 26083362, so expect your menu to show a newer build than ours. GONE Studios also recommends lobbies under 100 ping.

Router and NAT fixes for joining

Sources for this section

You’re ready when…

Your checklist

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Sources · 31Walkthrough · Official · Reported · checked 22 Oct 2026 · Research checked 22 Oct 2026
Kingy test run: Build 1.0.1 menus, lobby, intro and Journal ↗Kingy's own session in the retail game through Steam on Windows 11: menu label Build 1.0.1, Steam build 26083362, keyboard and mouse, solo on the Lake at Average Angler, October 20, 2026. Covered the main menu, save slots, Create Lobby, perks, lobby options, the intro, picking up a rod in the cabin on day 1 and every Journal page. Casting, the fishing minigame, the altar, traders, other maps, the boss and co-op were not played. Screenshots were captured from the game window during that session.Walkthrough ·
GONE Fishing store page ↗Release date October 20, 2026; Windows only; 1–8 players; US$9.99 with a 33% introductory offer to US$6.69 ending November 3; 14 interface languages; minimum and recommended PC requirements; server-side anti-cheat for leaderboards.Official ·
Fix It Flounder is angry + SKIPPABLE CUTSCENE.... about time bruh ↗Pre-1.0 patch: the host can hold Space (X on a PS5 controller) to skip the intro plane cutscene; legendary minimum bait score lowered from 200 to 175.Official ·
LOBBY SYSTEM + NEW LEGENDARY FISH ↗Early Access post: failing quota twice on Average Angler ends the game; once on the hardest difficulty; joining lobbies under 100 ping is recommended. Not restated in the 1.0 notes.Official ·
New Fishing Strike System + More Fishing UI Polish + Fixes ↗Early Access post: after 22:30 the host gets a Force next day button in the Esc menu; a player is still killed if the altar is short.Official ·
TIER 6 BAIT, NEW WEIGHT SYSTEM, Yumi conspiracy theory??? ↗Early Access post: heart bait (tier 6, score 99) from the butcher table doubles legendary or mythic odds when conditions are met; the fish-inflation buffs now affect bait score and value instead of weight; day-based weight boosts that need Leviathan's Totem; only Jeremy Wade difficulty raises max weight; most items sell back for a third of their price; rods can't be sold.Official ·
We talkin New Depths, New Fixes, and more ↗Early Access post: gambling formula (win 1.25–4.5×, loss down to 0.01×, max-win reroll 5–10×), more spots deeper than 2,500 for legendary fishing, and the crab releasing a grabbed player after 5.5 seconds; updated DLSS, FSR 3.1 and XeSS support. Gambling was buffed again in late September 2026.Official ·
BOATS ARE BACK WTF + New GONE Fishing app and MORE ↗Early Access post: lit TNT in water makes fish rain and can destroy your boat; one boat per map; the Megalodon is Canyons-only with the Moby recommended; a giant squid attacks boats fishing at night.Official ·
MUSKET, New Bait, TNT, stuff n things ↗Early Access post: holding the drop key (Q) lights TNT as you drop it; TNT can kill every creature except the cat and dog.Official ·
Full Controller Support + Musical Instruments + MORE ↗Early Access post: legendaries became map-exclusive (Lochness Monster on the Lake, Orca on the Arctic, Dunkleosteus on the Canyons, a Swamp legendary); instruments sync for a fishing aura; controller support finished, with selectable button glyphs and look sensitivity in the options.Official ·
Can't join your friends lobby or they can't join you? ↗Pinned developer troubleshooting: same game version (restart Steam), mobile-hotspot test, and router checks such as double NAT, VPN, strict NAT, SIP ALG, CGNAT and blocked UDP.Official ·
GONE Fishing app info (Steam launch configuration) ↗Two Steam launch options: Play GONE Fishing with DirectX 11 (default, -dx11) and Play GONE Fishing with DirectX 12 (For faster Computers). Public build 26140539, updated October 22, 2026 at 18:03 UTC; the previous public build, 26083362, dated from October 20.Reported ·
GONE Fishing store details (Steam store API) ↗Windows only; Partial Controller Support and DualSense Controller Support; Steam Cloud; camera comfort, color alternatives, contrast controls, custom volume controls, adjustable difficulty, playable without timed input, stereo and surround sound; minimum spec lists DirectX 11, recommended DirectX 12.Official ·
Season 2 + Mythic Fish Type + Ultra Powerful Rod + New Monsters/Fishies + MORE ↗Early Access post: the first mythic fish, caught only in the ocean; a top rod sold in Jeb's shop; max-level Fish Frenzy Totem makes bites 75% faster (was 90%) and costs 250 gold; max-level Slowing Metabolism Totem cuts quota 30% (was 40%); a motion sickness option in the Esc menu; the heart revives you in solo.Official ·
NEW CREATURE + Pet Changes + Difficulty Update and more stuff n things ↗Early Access post: hold E to push players (the prompt fills in 7.5 seconds, maximum power at 20); instruments don't raise bait score, they raise legendary odds once you already qualify.Official ·
AQUARIUM + New Characters +Changes +Optimizations + Fixes ↗Early Access post: the day bonus to bait score caps at day 60, up to +50%, rolled between half and the full bonus; voice chat's default key is V.Official ·
ALPHA 4.0: The Late Game Update ↗Early Access post: a late-game trader in an elevated cabin on each map lets you upgrade totems; emotes are picked in the lobby and played with Ctrl+L.Official ·
Cat + New Fish + Worm Rework + Cosmetics + Fixes ↗Early Access post: totem prices scale with the number of players; an arachnophobia toggle in the Esc menu turns the large jungle spider into a tortoise.Official ·
New Quota Totem, Polish, and Fixes... ↗Early Access post: a totem unlocked by default glows to show progress toward quota; volume sliders for music, weather and voice chat, plus voice volume per player.Official ·
New Perk, Musket Changes, New Localization, stuff n things ↗Early Access post: max FOV raised from 110 to 130; the Alchoholic perk added.Official ·
New Content, Polish, and more fixes ofcourse ↗Early Access post: the default launch option now uses DirectX 11 and the second option DirectX 12, which is more expensive to run.Official ·
Optimizations, Difficulty, BUGS + More ↗Demo-period post adding FPS limit, brightness, gamma, bloom and motion blur settings.Official ·
Fish Throwing Update ↗Demo-period post: remappable bindings with controller support; hold left mouse to throw a fish.Official ·
DLSS, FSR, XESS options and Save/Cooking fixes ↗Early Access post adding DLSS, FSR and XeSS upscaling under the Video options.Official ·
GONE FISHING GIVE AWAY + BIG GPU OPTIMIZATIONS ↗Early Access post: an estimated 15–20% cut in GPU use, tuned for 1080p with a 120 fps limit on the Medium preset.Official ·
stuff n things ↗Early Access post: a Disable Tips option in the gameplay options; solo, 2- and 3-player lobby sizes.Official ·
Catch report, Beer Change, and Fix it Flounder ↗Early Access post: an optional catch report, toggled in the gameplay options, shows which multipliers boosted a fish's value.Official ·
New Fishing UI + New Struggle Mechanic + GeforceNow and MORE ↗Early Access post: F places fish on the stove, grill and butcher table; escape a grab by clicking left mouse in the green zone, with 6 seconds to do it; saves sync to Steam Cloud to support streaming services such as GeForce NOW.Official ·
New events, content, polish, and fixes. AND CHEAPER BEER ITS PRACTICALY FREE NOW ↗Early Access post: a selfie camera on T by default.Official ·
Boat Pushing, Boat Fixes, Dynamic Fishing Guide, + stuff n things ↗Early Access post: any player can reset the boat from the bottom right of the Esc menu; the Unstuck button no longer drops your bait.Official ·
Polish, Fixes, and Changes! ↗Early Access post: an Esc menu option turns TNT damage off; it's on by default and GONE Studios suggests turning it off in public lobbies.Official ·

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